2. Contact Info

3. Dealer Selection

“Why on earth would someone not choose the diesel engine if they’re shopping for an M-Class?” a fellow staffer asked me after spending some seat time in the all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Bluetec. I blinked my eyes and scratched my head, but I couldn’t come up with a response, or at least one that made any kind of logical sense. Mercedes charges a mere $1500 (mere in the sense that this is a $50,000 vehicle to start with) to replace the standard 3.5-liter gasser with a turbocharged, direct-injected 3.0-liter diesel V-6 – an engine that produces 240 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough torque to tow your house on your next road trip. Or at least a large-ish trailer with a few beds, a toilet, and a well-stocked minibar.

Truth is, when you’re hauling people, gear, and 5000 pounds of luxury SUV, diesel engines make a lot of sense. The Bluetec mill in question is also one of the smoother diesel engines we’ve experienced. Like all diesel mills, it’s not a revver, but it doesn’t need to be when it develops peak torque from 1600 rpm. And it gets there on a wave of butter and cream, building power with a subdued, but purposeful, exhaust note. And all the while, fuel economy is estimated to the tune of 20/25 mpg city/highway, which equates to a 3-mpg gain over the gas-powered version. That fuel efficiency is helped in part by Mercedes’ standard seven-speed automatic transmission, which is quick and smooth to shift and drops up to four gears at once to get back on the power fast.

By comparison, the gas-powered V-6 makes 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque at a relatively lofty 6500 and 3500 rpm, respectively. In our acceleration testing, the gasoline-powered ML did deliver slightly better acceleration times, both to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile run. But that roughly half-second difference can be explained by a severe weight disadvantage on our heavily optioned diesel tester. All in all, the Bluetec-powered ML was handed a 400-pound burden that the more lightly optioned gasoline version didn’t have to shoulder. It should be mentioned that Mercedes estimates identical 0 to 60 mph times for similarly equipped cars.

Of course, regardless of the engine you choose in your M-Class, the rest of the package remains virtually identical. And a good package it is. Exterior cosmetic changes are subtle for 2012, though Mercedes says every panel is new. Despite being slightly larger and featuring more standard equipment than the outgoing car, just over 20 pounds have been added to the ML 350 through the increased use of lightweight materials. Interior room is spacious front and rear for even our over-6-foot-tall staffers, and interior materials have also been improved, with standard wood trim and sumptuous leather seating surfaces.

One of the reasons folks gravitate towards SUVs in the first place is for cargo-hauling capacity, and the ML 350 doesn’t disappoint here. Towing capacity is a strong 7200 pounds, and rear cargo area volume is more 36 cubic feet with the rear seats up (that moves to 71 cubic feet folded flat). Moreover, the cargo area is uniformly shaped, with minimal intrusion from the wheel wells. This means that larger, one-piece objects such as furniture are more likely to fit in the Merc’s boot.

One of the best features of the ML350 is that beyond its practicality, the all-wheel-drive sport ‘ute also is among the top in its class when it comes to driving experience. There are few other midsize SUVs that deliver the blend of comfort and sport the ML does. The optional active suspension really works to tighten the chassis up when the roads turn twisty, hydraulically coupling the anti-roll bars and stiffening the damping rates for decreased lean and dive when turning or braking. Understeer is the name of the game, but in the figure-eight test the ML remained highly controllable and more responsive than many others in this class. While we’d like a little more steering feel from the ML, its comfortable ride and ease of maneuvering easily make up for any lack of tactile edge. Brakes are always solid and easy to modulate, stopping the ML short and straight time and time again.

Mercedes launches the new M-Class as 4Matic six-cylinder vehicles exclusively, but stay tuned. We’re looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the upcoming V-8, hybrid, and AMG variants in the not-too-distant future. Until then, stay tuned.

Cargo (Std/Max)

2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class News and Reviews

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety today gave its coveted Top Safety Pick designation to 18 more model-year 2012 vehicles. The vehicles on which the honor was bestowed comprise seven Hondas, three Acuras, three Toyotas , one Buick, one Scion, one Subaru, one BMW, and one Mercedes-Benz.To qualify for the Top Safety Pick rating, a car must achieve a “good”…

It’s that time of the year again, and if you’re running out of gift ideas (or don’t know what else to put on your wish list) Mercedes has announced a host of new family-friendly accessories for the M-Class. And even though the B-Class isn’t on sale in the U.S. quite yet, you can get a sneak peek at the accessories…

It becomes more difficult every year for the Motor Trend staff to define exactly what makes a vehicle both sporty and utilitarian. At one point, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler that rolled around our dirt and asphalt test course would have been the very model of a modern multisurface vehicle. At this point, body-on-frame construction and low-range four-wheel-drive systems are technological…

Changes to the all-new third generation Mercedes-Benz M-Class are evolutionary, with crisper styling and more standard features than ever before. That means a more upright familial nose, a wood-and-leather-trimmed interior, and technology that can detect when the driver becomes drowsy. While no staffers were blown away by the conservative styling cues, many were impressed by the ML’s interior packaging, which…